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  • Outboard racing journalism?

    If you haven't seen it, go to the sub-forum entitled, "What's Happening in Europe;" set the controls to cover the last year, and click on the report by "U.S. 'A' Team" on the OSY-400 world's championships.

    It doesn't matter whether you run that category or class or have any personal interest in it; I don't, and I just now happened on the entry more or less accidently. But I'm glad I did, because the poster, whomever he/she is, did a knockout reporting job, so good that you can't help read the whole thing!

    I haven't seen boatracing reporting this good in years, decades, maybe since Eileen Crimmin in the '60s. There have been a few others that have carried the torch for us. I think it was Mel Crook who wrote long pieces for Motor Boating, mostly on the Unlimiteds of the Forties and Fifties. Bill Knight of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was among the few newspapermen who normally covered stick-and-ball sports to actually have some interest in powerboat racing. BSH driver and professional photographer Rusty Rae published a book on an APBA Stock Nationals in the seventies, and Craig Fjarlie has been doing interviews of the old-timers for some time. Those outside Reg. 10 will have some other names. In the '50s, there might have been more than one magazine on outboard racing alone, Outboard Speed Sport being one, and in the '60s, Hot Boat could be found by fans on any big store magazine rack, and they covered most of the APBA boat categories. There were a few other dedicated publications that came and went, long ago, and Bob Nordskog's Powerboat hung on for a long time, though by necessity it gave most of its attention to the types of boat which interested its advertisers.

    But with outboard racing (by which I mean Stock/Mod/PRO) having slowly shrunk toward its current status as a little local in-crowd activity for unknown drivers, their families, and a handful of mildly curious folk who happen by during a race, the general public is never made aware of what they're missing and might enjoy. We trot out a number of likely or possible causes for this state of affairs, but THIS thread is about the lack of journalistic interest and coverage. And it's unfortunate because, for one, "U.S. 'A' Team" shows real story-telling talent!

    "'A' Team," have YOU got any ideas on this situation? You gave us a pitside and turn-boat's close-up views of the action with your story, but what do you and others think about the best ways to get this story and others out to a general public that never would normally hear of it? Could the storytellers here write "canned" articles that local newspapers or general sports or boating magazines could consider running on? And you web experts, is it possible to reach a general audience or sports audience or pleasure boating audience on-line with a story of this kind, drawing a few of them to our sites? Obviously this calls for a somewhat different story than one written for the in-crowd at Hydroracer.

    Ideas on this?




  • #2
    Where IS The Link?

    Search for Outboard Journalism??

    Comment


    • #3
      I guess it has a lot to do with "you get what you pay for."

      Dan



      Comment


      • #4
        Ron, this old laptop has a lot of glitches, one of which being that I can't seem to move addresses for links. But I did tell you how to find the story; look at the top paragraph.

        What are you saying, Dan? I don't have to tell you that all kinds of weird, non-paying persons and subjects get coverage in the mainstream press every day. If you are saying that 99% of sportswriters aren't going to interrupt their endless absorption with the stick-and-ball sports they know about to find out about us, I'll agree; fellows like Bill Knight and Bill O'Mara were unusual even in the day. But their editors will sometimes go with a local interest story for variety, if it is free and dropped in their laps. This is even more likely to happen in the case of boating and cruising magazines, city magazines, neighborhood papers, and such.

        I actually submitted a couple of stories and saw them printed in one of the boatracing publications long ago, and got a couple of longish letters-to-the-editor into the Seattle papers. And I could start doing this again, but am interested in hearing ideas on how to get the best effect from any such effort.



        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Smitty View Post
          If you haven't seen it, go to the sub-forum entitled, "What's Happening in Europe;" set the controls to cover the last year, and click on the report by "U.S. 'A' Team" on the OSY-400 world's championships.

          It doesn't matter whether you run that category or class or have any personal interest in it; I don't, and I just now happened on the entry more or less accidently. But I'm glad I did, because the poster, whomever he/she is, did a knockout reporting job, so good that you can't help read the whole thing!

          I haven't seen boatracing reporting this good in years, decades, maybe since Eileen Crimmin in the '60s. There have been a few others that have carried the torch for us. I think it was Mel Crook who wrote long pieces for Motor Boating, mostly on the Unlimiteds of the Forties and Fifties. Bill Knight of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was among the few newspapermen who normally covered stick-and-ball sports to actually have some interest in powerboat racing. BSH driver and professional photographer Rusty Rae published a book on an APBA Stock Nationals in the seventies, and Craig Fjarlie has been doing interviews of the old-timers for some time. Those outside Reg. 10 will have some other names. In the '50s, there might have been more than one magazine on outboard racing alone, Outboard Speed Sport being one, and in the '60s, Hot Boat could be found by fans on any big store magazine rack, and they covered most of the APBA boat categories. There were a few other dedicated publications that came and went, long ago, and Bob Nordskog's Powerboat hung on for a long time, though by necessity it gave most of its attention to the types of boat which interested its advertisers.

          But with outboard racing (by which I mean Stock/Mod/PRO) having slowly shrunk toward its current status as a little local in-crowd activity for unknown drivers, their families, and a handful of mildly curious folk who happen by during a race, the general public is never made aware of what they're missing and might enjoy. We trot out a number of likely or possible causes for this state of affairs, but THIS thread is about the lack of journalistic interest and coverage. And it's unfortunate because, for one, "U.S. 'A' Team" shows real story-telling talent!

          "'A' Team," have YOU got any ideas on this situation? You gave us a pitside and turn-boat's close-up views of the action with your story, but what do you and others think about the best ways to get this story and others out to a general public that never would normally hear of it? Could the storytellers here write "canned" articles that local newspapers or general sports or boating magazines could consider running on? And you web experts, is it possible to reach a general audience or sports audience or pleasure boating audience on-line with a story of this kind, drawing a few of them to our sites? Obviously this calls for a somewhat different story than one written for the in-crowd at Hydroracer.

          Ideas on this?
          APBA is paying a company called Crown Partners to do this. Call APBA HQ and direct your questions to the President of APBA not the members of this site.

          These are some of the sites I manage if you care to look around.

          https://www.rebelmouse.com/HydroRacerTV/

          https://www.facebook.com/hydroracertv

          http://twitter.com/HydroRacerTV

          http://www.youtube.com/user/dwl017?feature=mhee

          https://vimeo.com/channels/hydroracertv
          Last edited by HRTV; 12-28-2012, 08:27 AM.
          HTML Code:

          "https://twitter.com/HydroRacerTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false">Follow @HydroRacerTV

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Smitty View Post
            Ron, this old laptop has a lot of glitches, one of which being that I can't seem to move addresses for links. But I did tell you how to find the story; look at the top paragraph.

            What are you saying, Dan? I don't have to tell you that all kinds of weird, non-paying persons and subjects get coverage in the mainstream press every day. If you are saying that 99% of sportswriters aren't going to interrupt their endless absorption with the stick-and-ball sports they know about to find out about us, I'll agree; fellows like Bill Knight and Bill O'Mara were unusual even in the day. But their editors will sometimes go with a local interest story for variety, if it is free and dropped in their laps. This is even more likely to happen in the case of boating and cruising magazines, city magazines, neighborhood papers, and such.

            I actually submitted a couple of stories and saw them printed in one of the boatracing publications long ago, and got a couple of longish letters-to-the-editor into the Seattle papers. And I could start doing this again, but am interested in hearing ideas on how to get the best effect from any such effort.
            Call Crown Partners they are the current marketing team under contract for the APBA.
            HTML Code:

            "https://twitter.com/HydroRacerTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false">Follow @HydroRacerTV

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Ron Hill View Post
              Search for Outboard Journalism??
              https://hydroracer.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24395




              Welcome to hydroracer, we hope you enjoy your visit.

              Comment


              • #8
                Just Because I Have All "TRICK STUFF"

                Originally posted by Smitty View Post
                Ron, this old laptop has a lot of glitches, one of which being that I can't seem to move addresses for links. But I did tell you how to find the story; look at the top paragraph.

                What are you saying, Dan? I don't have to tell you that all kinds of weird, non-paying persons and subjects get coverage in the mainstream press every day. If you are saying that 99% of sportswriters aren't going to interrupt their endless absorption with the stick-and-ball sports they know about to find out about us, I'll agree; fellows like Bill Knight and Bill O'Mara were unusual even in the day. But their editors will sometimes go with a local interest story for variety, if it is free and dropped in their laps. This is even more likely to happen in the case of boating and cruising magazines, city magazines, neighborhood papers, and such.

                I actually submitted a couple of stories and saw them printed in one of the boatracing publications long ago, and got a couple of longish letters-to-the-editor into the Seattle papers. And I could start doing this again, but am interested in hearing ideas on how to get the best effect from any such effort.
                Doesn't mean I can use it. I did a Google search for the article.....and Thanks to Mrs. Blueskyracer I found it.

                My older two children Jessica and Chad raced BMX. Eddie Lawson, Jeff Ward, Broc Glover....and Doug Herbert to name a few of my customers were all my friends, too!...

                So, because they were my friends and I also had an interest in BMX, I read all kinds of magazines related to these sports.. One common thread in noticed in these magazines was that the author always seemed to love their sport as much or more than the subject they were writing about.

                My observations about boat racers is that they seem EXTREMELY focused on their boat (s) and not on the big picture of Boat Racing. And, if they are winners in their "TINY" area, they don't tell any secrets, and they sure as hell don't write about their secrets.

                I'll admit, I was amazed, last night, looking at HydroracerTV's year in review. It sure looked like Dan put in a lot of time on the ...It is great!

                Look at You Tube: Every boat race You Tube has like 1,000 views. Zach Mahoit's has 1.2 million views....Why? I feel his is an infomercial. Most of the others are "THEIR" boats racing around in circles... Both types of videos are better than NONE THOUGH!

                Good stuff isn't usually cheap!
                Last edited by Ron Hill; 12-28-2012, 03:26 PM.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Dear Smitty,

                  This article and many others were written by Unity Flagstaff. He's a retired journalist from the Region One area that still produces articles about various motor sports and certainly anything involving Americans racing in Europe. He does not get paid for these efforts, but he is a race fan and enjoys it thoroughly. We have more of his articles on our website; If you liked the article on Germany then I recommend the Haverill River Run article as it is particularly well done. There are also articles on The Taunton Cup as well as The U.S. A-Team's efforts in Sweden in 2010 and Estonia in 2012 (Under Team Publications). Unity has had many articles in the Propeller magazine going back 4 years, and in local newspapers.

                  http://ateamboatracing.com/Unity_Fla...Reporting.html

                  The U.S. A-Team Captain, Billy Allen, is a member of the J- Committee and through his efforts the team has been able to publish articles in several of the J-Driver's local newspapers, including but not limited to: Mike Akerstrom, Grant Hearn, Becky Nichols, and Nic Nowak. He has also written extensively in Propeller on what to expect if you plan to race in UIM competition in Europe (I believe it is in the FEB 2012 Propeller).

                  Every year the team members submit articles to local newspapers and press releases to local radio and TV stations. We are typically able to get our articles in at least one newspaper. In as far as TV and Radio we have been featured on the Quincy (MA) Cable News and the Racing Round-Up Radio Show in Milwaukee, WI. We have been in the 4th of July Parade in Quincy, MA the past 2 years. We also attend boat shows in New England and this past fall we were a huge success at the Boy Scout's SOAR event on the Charles River in Boston. We host parties and a road race in Quincy which both draw big crowds and we always turn these events into a mini race boat show.

                  For a full account of our efforts this past year please visit the annual review on our website:

                  http://ateamboatracing.com/Team_Blog...al_Report.html

                  The Team does not get paid for these efforts but we act for the benefit of the sport and American Boat Racing. Our funding comes from our generous sponsors and donors who believe likewise. When you support the A-Team, you support the team's efforts to give back to the sport as well.

                  Glad you liked the article!

                  Rachel Warnock
                  U.S. A-Team Executive Administrator
                  Fast Boats Rock!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thank you all for clueing me in, especially to the videos; I personally don't look for or watch any kind of videos often because this old laptop has gotten so slow to load, and stops the action every few seconds to load some more. I bought my brother and sister each a new laptop for Christmas; now I need a new one!

                    Not saying this to be arguementative, but it's not clear to me, probably because I am OLD, that the existance of the videos, however excellant, will necessarily draw outsiders into the game. My experience with a particular car enthusiasts' site for which I have done a lot of writing indicates that the people who we think SHOULD be interested somehow do not find their way to the site, which is dying for lack of participation. Yet some specialty print magazines are doing well, even though the internet had been expected to slowly strangle them all. Certainly it strangles some; "Powerboat" ceased publication a couple of years ago. And undoubtedly my notions about this subject are badly skewed by the fact that my generation grew up with print-on-paper journalism and still prefers it. When we boomers finally croak maybe print journalism will disappear. Probably the young folk who will (or won't) keep racing alive don't read the papers anyway, and my ideas about it were pointless.

                    Rachel describes her group putting raceboats on display at car races, Scouting shows (great idea!), and other likely venues. This might be the most likely way to catch the attention of someone who didn't even know he wanted to race. I was just reading that Burt Ross got attracted to outboard racing through an entirely accidental encounter of this kind.

                    Thanks to all for the responses.
                    Last edited by Smitty; 01-03-2013, 02:15 PM.



                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Good Post, Smitty!

                      Scott Gillman, I assume most boat racers know the name, got interested in tunnel boats by watch late night TV in Canada. He was coming home from an Off Road Race and was staying in a motel. He happened to see tunnel boat races.

                      At one point 90% of SoCal boat racers started because of Speedboat Rodeo on TV.

                      But having said that, you could buy a new DeSilva (Hydro or Runabout) , Swift (Hydro) or Terrill Hydro.....and you might find one in a show room like at Hubbell Motors, and you could buy new race motor....Mark 20.....Hot Rod or Mark 30-H....

                      Walking around a car show, I seldom see duct tape.

                      The reason I see people not being interested is lack of NEWNESS in equipment... Go-Kart, ATV, and motorcycles are all four strokes anymore. Which outboard class allows four strokes?

                      Right now on 4cycle.com is:
                      Currently Active Users: 990 (557 members and 433 guests)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Ron Hill View Post
                        Scott Gillman, I assume most boat racers know the name, got interested in tunnel boats by watch late night TV in Canada. He was coming home from an Off Road Race and was staying in a motel. He happened to see tunnel boat races.

                        At one point 90% of SoCal boat racers started because of Speedboat Rodeo on TV.

                        But having said that, you could buy a new DeSilva (Hydro or Runabout) , Swift (Hydro) or Terrill Hydro.....and you might find one in a show room like at Hubbell Motors, and you could buy new race motor....Mark 20.....Hot Rod or Mark 30-H....

                        Walking around a car show, I seldom see duct tape.

                        The reason I see people not being interested is lack of NEWNESS in equipment... Go-Kart, ATV, and motorcycles are all four strokes anymore. Which outboard class allows four strokes?

                        Right now on 4cycle.com is:
                        Currently Active Users: 990 (557 members and 433 guests)
                        Been saying it for years, back in the day there should have been allowed in stock outboard 21h,31h 56h then 22h,32h,57h, and so on by not allowing Manufactures to improve there engine design they have gone the route of obsolutism (think I just made up WORD LOLOLO)

                        Poor Poor sidewinder they have to be crossscavange--is any other engine company in the world making crossscavange engines??doubt it.

                        The way goes equiptment the way goes the sport and why---they just do not want to spend the right dollars to grow.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Back in 1977

                          Originally posted by raceright View Post
                          Been saying it for years, back in the day there should have been allowed in stock outboard 21h,31h 56h then 22h,32h,57h, and so on by not allowing Manufactures to improve there engine design they have gone the route of obsolutism (think I just made up WORD LOLOLO)

                          Poor Poor sidewinder they have to be crossscavange--is any other engine company in the world making cross cavange engines??doubt it.

                          The way goes equiptment the way goes the sport and why---they just do not want to spend the right dollars to grow.
                          Before the Bakersfield Nationals in 1977, I bought 5 brand new 25 SS motors...(Second generation 25 SS's)...Serial number 001-005, Two were pre sold to Nordskog's grand kids, one was pre sold to my cousin (As a back up motor).

                          After the nationals I continued to help Tom Ige sell Yamato Model 80's. At a boat show that fall, Tom and I worked together.....I had two guys "Hot" for my two remaining 25 SS motors. I had them written up and was about to collect a deposit from them, when one guy says, "Are these motors 'cross flows'?" Yea, I said...."Wow, they said, we don't want to race 'cross flows'."

                          I didn't sell them a Yamato at the time because they wanted an AMERICAN NEW MOTOR!

                          Just one 4 stroke class with like a 15 HP on a hydro......in Australia they have a slip on noce cone where you do no damage to a motor, but you can run the prop shaft level with the bottom and still get water! 43 MPH, 2 in the boat.....15 HP.

                          Look at these numbers: What would cause someone to write about these classes? These numbers are from APBA's Electronic media web page.


                          ASR 70 Zero one race (70)
                          BSR 22 1 boat, one race only (22)
                          25SSR 54 17 ONE race only (37)
                          CSR 66 12 one race only (54)
                          DSR 9 7 one race only (2)

                          ASH 96 15 one only (84)
                          BSH 31 10 one race only (21)
                          20SSH 116 26 one race only (90)
                          25SSH 16 Zero one race only (16)
                          CSH 117 13 one race only (104)
                          DSH 28 5 one race only (23)


                          Marathons

                          ASR 15 9 one race only (6)
                          BRS 9 8 one race only (0)
                          25SSR 10 5 0ne race only (5)
                          CSR 31 19 one race only (12)
                          DSR 9 3 one race only (6)

                          45 9 3 one race only (6)

                          These are National classes????
                          Last edited by Ron Hill; 01-03-2013, 06:42 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Ron, could you clarify the numbers? The first is number of nationwide registered owners?

                            Anyway, I take it your general point is too many classes with too few participants, as we all can agree. But is the answer to cut out or combine classes, or to increase the number of participants? In the mid-Sixties, Reg. 10 always had eliminations in ASH and BSH in ordinary local races. No four-strokes, nothing you could buy in a marina, B engines had not been built for ten years and A engines for fifteen. But we had races all summer with eliminations, sometimes double eliminations (more than 24 boats). I don't believe it is an equipment issue.

                            I think (could be wrong) it is an exposure issue, which was the original point of this thread.

                            In the Sixties, we had usually four races in the immediate greater Seattle area: two on Lake Sammamish, one on Silver Lake in Everett, and the big draw for spectators and wannabe racers, the annual mid summer race on Green Lake in the middle of Seattle. A similar situation pertained for the Inboarders. Since those days we have lost all of the Seattle area races except Silver Lake (which doesn't draw crowds for various reasons). With the change to turbine engines, the Unlimiteds, which used to draw gigantic crowds and greatly increased interest in the smaller boats, has lost its appeal as it lost the beautiful V-12 sound.

                            Without the exposure of large numbers of the public to races in population centers, other ways need to be found to "show the flag". You can reduce numbers of classes "to make a better show," but in the heyday of the Green Lake races, we ran two, sometimes three long days in a row. People came and went, there was not a beginning, middle, or climax, and it was still wildly popular. Today the problem is not too many classes but too few participants, and if the small number of participants have to pay ever-increasing insurance costs, the whole game might disappear.



                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Smitty View Post
                              Ron, could you clarify the numbers? The first is number of nationwide registered owners?

                              Anyway, I take it your general point is too many classes with too few participants, as we all can agree. But is the answer to cut out or combine classes, or to increase the number of participants? In the mid-Sixties, Reg. 10 always had eliminations in ASH and BSH in ordinary local races. No four-strokes, nothing you could buy in a marina, B engines had not been built for ten years and A engines for fifteen. But we had races all summer with eliminations, sometimes double eliminations (more than 24 boats). I don't believe it is an equipment issue.

                              I think (could be wrong) it is an exposure issue, which was the original point of this thread.

                              In the Sixties, we had usually four races in the immediate greater Seattle area: two on Lake Sammamish, one on Silver Lake in Everett, and the big draw for spectators and wannabe racers, the annual mid summer race on Green Lake in the middle of Seattle. A similar situation pertained for the Inboarders. Since those days we have lost all of the Seattle area races except Silver Lake (which doesn't draw crowds for various reasons). With the change to turbine engines, the Unlimiteds, which used to draw gigantic crowds and greatly increased interest in the smaller boats, has lost its appeal as it lost the beautiful V-12 sound.

                              Without the exposure of large numbers of the public to races in population centers, other ways need to be found to "show the flag". You can reduce numbers of classes "to make a better show," but in the heyday of the Green Lake races, we ran two, sometimes three long days in a row. People came and went, there was not a beginning, middle, or climax, and it was still wildly popular. Today the problem is not too many classes but too few participants, and if the small number of participants have to pay ever-increasing insurance costs, the whole game might disappear.
                              Smitty

                              We can talk classes, equipment, and so on. Drastic and I mean very drastic measures need to be taken to have a spike in Outboard racing.
                              I have always been of the belief that stock outboard is the most important category for the future of racing, but as goes stock outboard so goes APBA.

                              Some of us are not waiting for the Drastic changes needed, At present Stock outboard is Obsolete. Take that anyway you want but it is true,and only said with the utmost of respect for this sport that we all care so much for but just caring is not enough and I could talk about this for hours with examples Ideas and so on , if you are serious and going to the Dallas meeting look me up and we will share a beer .

                              Pat Wright
                              Region 2 Pro Commissioner

                              Comment

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